The Diary
by TheAngel'sLover
Summary: If you found an abandoned book, would you read it?
1. Chapter 1

She didn't mean to. It was an accident. She thought it was a book someone had carelessly left on the chair in the library. The lack of any title, or writing on the cover at all should've been a clue. But, a lone book was not something to be ignored. So of course, she picked it up to scan through the pages, flipping them listlessly until her name caught her eye.

As she started to read she felt her legs begin to quiver, her hands tremble, and her heart flutter. The chair the book had been carelessly deposited was soon occupied by herself. This was no book, but a diary, one she had _not_ been meant to see…

"_When my homeland fell into chaos I swore to myself I would never pick up a weapon again. To have the blood of my parents upon me was too much to bear, yet the bloodshed was that of nothing to what I have witnessed since I came to Dalmasca. I thought freedom would be found here, but here I am now, in the Royal Dalmacain Army. To say I do not feel guilt at having betrayed my promise to myself would be a lie, yet when I made that promise, I had no one left to protect. My mother and father were gone from this world and I believed to be so for my brother as well. _

_When I arrived I had little idea that I would find my life's purpose here. I remember when his Majesty King Raminas brought Ashe to the inspection of the Army. She was so fearless for a child her age. Stubborn and headstrong yet elegant and graceful in her own right..."_

She smiled, she remembered as well. How he had towered over her. He still did. "_Some things don't change,"_ she thought. She continued…

" _I stood by Vossler when they approached. The King began to talk to Vossler while he let Ashe strut up and down the front line, looking stern and regal. Despite her efforts to look official, she earned many a smile or a chuckle from a soldier, to which she replied by glowering in the direction of the offender. When she passed me she introduced herself _

' _I am Asheia Ba'nargin Dalmasca' in her most authorative voice. _

_Oh, the look on her face when I kneeled in front of her was beyond any words. At first there was shock, but it was replaced by a smirk. _

'_You may rise.'_

_When I rose I noticed the entirety of the Dalmascan Army staring at me, but Ashe was skipping over to her father with a triumphant look spread across her face."_

Ashe felt the burn of blood rushing to her cheeks. Had she really been that ridiculous? She had finished the page, knowing she had invaded the privacy of another, but the curiosity was tugging at her so hard she knew there was no going back, she had to go on. She noticed there were no date markings and that it was written in more of a reminiscing style instead of a first person account of one's day. It didn't matter; she needed to read more. That is just what she did.

"_One day, not long after another encounter with the princess, I was wondering the Palace gardens, when I heard a rustling noise somewhere near to where I stood. Upon turning I found myself staring into the large grey eye of a girl rather than a tree, which stood in the same spot._

'_Hello!'_

Ashe laughed. To her young mind she had been clever to pull off such a stunt.

_I prayed to the gods that if I were to live to see the next morning without passing on from an attack of the heart that I would keep that young girl out of trouble or at least see that she would not cause any. Looking quite pleased at my distress she hopped down out of the tree, jumping up and down with glee. Quite displeased I had been so easily panicked at the mischievousness of a youngster I decided to feign that she had indeed caused me to suffer. I tried not to smile when hers faded as she gazed at me; confusion and worry beginning to creep onto face. That was when she found herself being lifted into the air and I found my hearing would never be the same, as she shrieked in surprise that turned into amusement when she was flung over my shoulder. (This was to become a tradition whenever she tried to sneak away from her maids to track me down. She got very good at it) I finally condescended to place her back on to the ground. We were both laughing. _

'_I saw you walking alone. You looked sad so I wanted to come make you smile.' She grinned. My heart melted._

The blush was beginning to return…

'_Shall we take a walk together then my lady?' _

'_Yes!' _

'_I would offer you my arm, but I think I shall wait until you have grown'_

'_Then why not let me sit on your shoulders?' She almost sounded too happy that she could. _

_So we walked the gardens, her talking away about how much she loved the sun and the flowers, but detested her studies and the dark, and I laughing at her theatrics, while she sat on my shoulders. I'll never forget what left her mouth that afternoon._

'_I want to be a warrior, or a knight! Like you!'_

'_Now now, my lady, I am no knight. I have much to learn before I can obtain such a distinguished title, I am of no noble blood.'_

'_Hmmm… wait!' she squirmed, expressing her desire to be let down. When I did she turned to face me, the most serious expression had wiped away the carefree child I had been conversing with only moments before._

' _I am of noble blood…'_

_I had to chuckle, she was indeed. _

' _You can be my knight'_

_At first I did not believe what had reached my ears. No, she was not serious, a second look at her face told me that I had misjudged, she had spoken each word with sincerity. _

'_Kneel'_

_I did. _

_She found a twig lying on the ground not too far from where she stood and brought it over, it would serve as sword, but her eyes, being sharp, fell upon the dagger I carried with me. _

'_May I use your dagger?' _

_I handed to her; not knowing why I did and once again praying it not remove a limb._

'_I, Ashelia Ba'nargin Dalmasca, make you a Knight of the Royal Order of Dalmasca. You will serve your country with honor and remain loyal to the Royal family. Forever.'_

_Satisfied with her speech she walked up and ceremoniously placed the __**blunt**__ edge of the dagger on both shoulders and then kissed my forehead. _

'_You may rise, Sir Knight_

_I looked into the eyes of my future queen. There we stayed. A queen and her knight."_

Ashe paused. Her smile faltered, but her blush did not diminish. She had fallen in love. She added the kiss on the forehead as an excuse and absconded with the dagger. He was different form the other high ranking officers. He was selfless and gentle, something only those who have not been raised in a lofty environment, would be able to understand.

As the sun dipped lower and the moon rose higher, Ashe sat, glued to the diary. Meanwhile its owner was frantically searching…

Ashe had come upon the latest entry.

" _My Gods, when I prayed to in the garden I was only jesting. Now it seems they heard and scorn me, for I love her. I love her. A cruel play of fate. I never realized my age until I heard of the betrothal. Even then I feared it would be the end of me if I dared admit, but when all was announced, I had no other choice. Oh, what a fool of a man. To commit one's self so wholly to another, pushing aside the knowledge of the danger of what would be if such a thing were ever to…"_

Her heart stopped. The trembling had returned. The blood had left her face.

"… _to watch her grow, walking with beauty each day…"_

At last she could read no more. So, this was how it was to be. She was as foolish as he to think they…

A slip of paper fell out of the back cover. Her attention shifted from her thoughts to the parchment. Picking it up gingerly, she unfolded it.

" _My Lady Ashe,_

_I wish to congratulate you on your impending marriage. It is an honor to serve as the escort to your groom. Lord Rasler is a very noble man, both in blood and heart. If you should doubt this I will assure you that he will take more measures than I have to keep you safe and your spirits high. May the Gods smile upon your marriage as I do..."_

She burned at the injustice. She pulled a quill off the table…

The sound of hurried footsteps she knew all too well reached her ears. With the speed she did not know she possessed, she tucked the letter back into the diary and left it on the chair the way it had rested when she happened upon it, then fled through the nearest exit.

When he burst into the library and found it sitting in the chair where he had been so thoughtless to leave it relief washed over him. It had been untouched and gone unnoticed. With much more composure and grace he walked out, holding the diary tightly in his hand.

Later, in his room he opened the diary, to find the letter had been moved. His heart sank. With shaking hands he opened it, hoping against hope she hadn't read it. The scribble at the bottom proved his fears…

"_My Dearest Basch,_

_I wish to congratulate you on your thoughtlessness. It is an honor to be indebted to the service, of a man I could never love more than I love him now. He is both noble in heart and in mind. If you should ever doubt this, I will assure you that he has taken more measures than one ever has. He keeps my spirits high and my heart alight. Tell him I love him. He will forever be my knight and reside in my heart._

_Your Queen (future)"_


	2. Author's Note

I was DYING to put some humor and romance in there somewhere. It killed me not to add a some smoochie-smoochie. I debated with it, but I like how it ends. It just didn't seem practiacal to add passion, even if it was just a tender kiss. I don't know. What do you think?

Also, it wasn't so much of a diary as a thought, past memory journal. Calling it a diary sounded more personal. Basch writing "Dear Diary"? _That _would probably be the downfall of his reputation :-P


End file.
